The NSW Government’s plan to trial three “sobering-up centres” in Sydney and Wollongong has been attacked as a “stunt” that could potentially put people at risk of further harm while doing nothing to address the root issues of binge drinking and alcohol-related violence.

It’s well and truly now a race to the altar to see which state or territory will become the first to have equal marriage laws after a cross parliamentary group of MPs in NSW gave notice yesterday of their intentions to introduce a marriage equality bill by early next year.

Setbacks in the campaign for marriage equality only strengthen the resolve of equality advocates and the gay and lesbian community. By Senator Penny Wong.

LGBTI people across Australia will be forced to wait some time longer for same-sex marriage laws after Tasmania’s Upper House last night scuttled a bill that would have allowed same-sex couples to enter into marriages recognised by the state.

In perhaps a further ploy conducted by Labor’s Sussex Street headquarters to ensure a Liberal defeat after deciding not to contest the Sydney by-election, former NSW Premier and recently retired Labor MP Kristina Keneally has today publicly thrown her support behind Independent candidate Alex Greenwich.

A by-election for the state seat of Sydney vacated last week by Independent MP Clover Moore will be held in late October.

The Senate has voted down a marriage equality bill 41-26 only a day after a similar bill was defeated in Federal Parliament’s lower house.

Yesterday’s defeat of a federal same-sex marriage bill has intensified the push for states to lead the way on marriage equality while on the federal level the Opposition is again trying to introduce civil unions.

He may be the country’s potential next prime minister but the family of Tony Abbott now have another sibling to support in the political world after the Coalition Leader’s openly gay sister, Christine Forster, was named the winner of the final City of Sydney council seat following this month’s local government elections.

Ahead of tomorrow’s vote in the federal Senate on a marriage equality bill, the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) has today released a position paper outlining its support for same-sex marriage as the “next step” towards achieving full equality for LGBTI people.

Emotions were high as debate today in the federal Senate on a marriage equality bill intensified ahead of a likely vote later this week, with Labor Senator Louise Pratt close to tears while describing the discrimination she and other LGBTI people face when it comes to having their relationships recognised by the state.

Foreign Minister and Labor elder statesman Bob Carr has declared his public support for marriage equality ahead of a likely vote on the issue in the Senate this week.

Marriage equality advocates have said it is not too late for the public to attempt to change the minds of politicians who may oppose the reform ahead of a vote in Federal Parliament on the issue next week.

The NSW Greens admit they have challenges to face following local government elections across the state over the weekend which saw voter support for the progressive party diminish quite significantly.

Despite criticism from GPs, mental health professionals, politicians as well as over social media and by members of the LGBTI community, an unrepentant Jim Wallace has continued to defend comments suggesting smoking was healthier than the “gay lifestyle”.